Power production 20% of capacity at Lake Oroville in California
7/28/2021 12:00:00 AM
CATEGORIES:
Energy
Water Supply & Quality
AFFECTED AREAS:
California
Butte County, CA
Start Date: 6/17/2021
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Lake Oroville’s Edward Hyatt Power plant may lose the ability to generate hydropower in August or September, but was able to remain online during the droughts of 1977 and 2014-15.
California’s hydropower generating capacity has dropped by about 1,000 megawatts, due to drought, per the California Public Utilities Commission.
Los Angeles Times, July 21, 2021
The Edward Hyatt Power Plant at Lake Oroville likely has enough water to continue producing hydropower for another two to three months before the water level is expected to fall too low for further power production, according to a California Energy Commission spokesperson. The hydroelectric power plant, the fourth largest energy producer in California, has never closed before since it began operation in 1967, but its production was 20% of total capacity as water levels fall. The present water level was near 700 feet above sea level, but power generation would end at 640 feet.
CNN (Atlanta, Ga.), June 17, 2021
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